University of Tennessee at Knoxville
PA-5: Assessing Diversity and Equity

In 2011 the University of Tennessee assessed campus climate for LGBT community members using the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index. The index is owned and operated by Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit organization for student leaders and campus groups working to create safer, more LGBT-friendly learning environments at colleges and universities. The index’s primary goals are to 1) set forth a national standard of LGBT and ally inclusive policies, programs, and practices; 2) offer an ongoing, effective measurement tool to evaluate these policies, programs, and practices, and 3) advocate nationally for further progress by highlighting positive efforts. UT hopes the scores will start a conversation about where to concentrate our resources as a campus for improvement in LGBT friendliness.

In 2012 the University of Tennessee Diversity Advisory Council submitted their Annual Report and Recommendations to President Joe DiPietro. To complete this report, the Diversity Advisory Council worked with the Office of Institutional Research to collect baseline data on diversity profiles of students, faculty and staff, as well as peer comparisons. These data were used to create a report and recommendation for actions the university should take to increased and continue to foster diversity. The following recommendations were made: (1) Enhance campus efforts to increase diversity including the development and monitoring of diversity-related programs and initiatives; (2) Each campus should establish a Diversity Council to promote programs and initiatives to enhance diversity; (3) Focus human and financial resources on a select set of goals for a defined period of time; (4) Building on past work; (5) Building institutional research capacity; (6) Define common terms; (7) Set appropriate goals; (8) Select strategies for effecting change; (9) Implement, assess, and report; (Adjust strategies, share successes and failures with other campuses. These recommendations have been used to inform decisions and shape diversity policies at the University of Tennessee. http://www.tennessee.edu/system/equity/docs/Report-to-President-082012.pdf

In 2012 the University of Tennessee Diversity Advisory Council submitted their Annual Report and Recommendations to President Joe DiPietro. To complete this report, the Diversity Advisory Council worked with the Office of Institutional Research to collect baseline data on diversity profiles of students, faculty and staff, as well as peer comparisons. These data were used to create a report and recommendation for actions the university should take to increased and continue to foster diversity. The following recommendations were made: (1) Enhance campus efforts to increase diversity including the development and monitoring of diversity-related programs and initiatives; (2) Each campus should establish a Diversity Council to promote programs and initiatives to enhance diversity; (3) Focus human and financial resources on a select set of goals for a defined period of time; (4) Building on past work; (5) Building institutional research capacity; (6) Define common terms; (7) Set appropriate goals; (8) Select strategies for effecting change; (9) Implement, assess, and report; (Adjust strategies, share successes and failures with other campuses. These recommendations have been used to inform decisions and shape diversity policies at the University of Tennessee. http://www.tennessee.edu/system/equity/docs/Report-to-President-082012.pdf

The Council for Diversity and Interculturalism is a body appointed by the Chancellor to serve as an advocate to improve the campus climate for diversity and inclusion. The council advises the campus administration on creating and sustaining a welcoming, supportive and inclusive campus climate to all groups. Their goals include attracting and retaining faculty and staff from under-represented populations; attracting, retaining and graduating students from historically under-represented populations and international students; and ensuring that undergraduate curricular requirements include significant intercultural perspectives. in the past 3 years their annual reports have assessed the following issues: 1. A consistent challenge identified by the Council is the inability to get campus and UT System administration to expand the format of survey tools to be more inclusive of underrepresented populations. As it currently stands, campus and UT System surveys do not reflect, or include, the multiple constituencies that are part of the make up on each campus. (2013-2014) 2.The 2012‐2013 academic year was a fruitful one for the Council of Diversity and Interculturalism (CDI). Co‐chaired by Dr. Herb Byrd and Mr. Tyvi Small and consisting of approximately 21 members, CDI along with the Commissions for Blacks, LGBT People, and Women served as very active participants in the campus’ efforts to recruit and hire a Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion. (2012-2013)